Weekly Uplook - May 28th
Good afternoon and Happy Memorial Day (a little early),
I’ve been thinking about why we as humans memorialize things and people. I have driven past Lunita Park in Manila, Philippines where a number of Filipino’s lost their lives and over 50,000 Filipino’s finally peacefully overthrew a dictatorship in 1985. Memorials were erected there. I have walked through the Korean War Memorial in Seoul, South Korea which not only honors fallen South Korean soldiers but enshrines the ideal of a once again unified Korean peninsula. I have stood at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery which honors the fallen in many of America’s wars. While I have visited these three places, there are scores of others around the world where people or events have been memorialized through the years.
In the United States, we observe Memorial Day to honor those soldiers fallen in our wars. The first Memorial Day was held to honor those lives lost during the American Civil War. And yet the concept of memorializing or honoring people or events is much older and greater than just those lost in military action. We have honored those lost in the 9/11 tragedy in New York City as well as a number of other tragic losses of life around the world. There will no doubt be memorial services and monuments for those lost more recently in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. This is as it should be for we never want to lose sight of the tragic loss of human life which has resulted from what sometimes seems like the triumph of evil over good. But we must also use these memorials, both the people and the events, as blazing reminders that while sin and evil does exist in the world, it will not have the final say.
It is true that terrible evil exists in our world today because of humanity’s “fall” into sin. Famed Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn once wrote, “If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who ls willing to destroy a piece of his own heart”. We see this in Cain’s response to God’s warning in Genesis 4:7 “ If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” The Hebrew for the word translated “lieth” implies it is crouching ready to spring in and overwhelm desires and actions. We should not be surprised at the human propensity toward evil as it has been with us since the “fall” in the Garden of Eden.
Thank God for another and more powerful truth which exists in our world today as well. It is the truth of redemption through Christ. A truth so powerful that it not only transforms individuals who surrender to it but also redeems even the darkest and most tragic losses which befall the human family. I love the words in the final two chapters of the Bible which speak to this. Revelation 21:4 speaks of God coming along side us and wiping our tears. It further reminds us of death’s swift exit from existence along with sorrow, crying, and pain. Praise God for such truth in the midst of such searing and tragic losses. Revelation 22:3 summarizes it all declaring “And there shall be no more curse… and there will …no night there. A wonderful hope indeed in the midst of sorrow and loss.
God bless you all as we prayerfully honor those who have willingly given their lives and for those who have had their lives tragically taken from them. We want to also remember the events which have shaped our world…reminding us both of the terrible evil which exists because of sin, but more importantly the wonderful redemption which is available to all through Christ who spoke prophetic words from his own cross when he said, “It is Finished”. Thank God, evil and death, do not and will not have the final word. Jesus has already declared it!
Blessings,
BB
I’ve been thinking about why we as humans memorialize things and people. I have driven past Lunita Park in Manila, Philippines where a number of Filipino’s lost their lives and over 50,000 Filipino’s finally peacefully overthrew a dictatorship in 1985. Memorials were erected there. I have walked through the Korean War Memorial in Seoul, South Korea which not only honors fallen South Korean soldiers but enshrines the ideal of a once again unified Korean peninsula. I have stood at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery which honors the fallen in many of America’s wars. While I have visited these three places, there are scores of others around the world where people or events have been memorialized through the years.
In the United States, we observe Memorial Day to honor those soldiers fallen in our wars. The first Memorial Day was held to honor those lives lost during the American Civil War. And yet the concept of memorializing or honoring people or events is much older and greater than just those lost in military action. We have honored those lost in the 9/11 tragedy in New York City as well as a number of other tragic losses of life around the world. There will no doubt be memorial services and monuments for those lost more recently in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. This is as it should be for we never want to lose sight of the tragic loss of human life which has resulted from what sometimes seems like the triumph of evil over good. But we must also use these memorials, both the people and the events, as blazing reminders that while sin and evil does exist in the world, it will not have the final say.
It is true that terrible evil exists in our world today because of humanity’s “fall” into sin. Famed Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn once wrote, “If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who ls willing to destroy a piece of his own heart”. We see this in Cain’s response to God’s warning in Genesis 4:7 “ If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” The Hebrew for the word translated “lieth” implies it is crouching ready to spring in and overwhelm desires and actions. We should not be surprised at the human propensity toward evil as it has been with us since the “fall” in the Garden of Eden.
Thank God for another and more powerful truth which exists in our world today as well. It is the truth of redemption through Christ. A truth so powerful that it not only transforms individuals who surrender to it but also redeems even the darkest and most tragic losses which befall the human family. I love the words in the final two chapters of the Bible which speak to this. Revelation 21:4 speaks of God coming along side us and wiping our tears. It further reminds us of death’s swift exit from existence along with sorrow, crying, and pain. Praise God for such truth in the midst of such searing and tragic losses. Revelation 22:3 summarizes it all declaring “And there shall be no more curse… and there will …no night there. A wonderful hope indeed in the midst of sorrow and loss.
God bless you all as we prayerfully honor those who have willingly given their lives and for those who have had their lives tragically taken from them. We want to also remember the events which have shaped our world…reminding us both of the terrible evil which exists because of sin, but more importantly the wonderful redemption which is available to all through Christ who spoke prophetic words from his own cross when he said, “It is Finished”. Thank God, evil and death, do not and will not have the final word. Jesus has already declared it!
Blessings,
BB
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